The Qing Dynasty

HI 168: Lecture 1Dr. Howard Chiang

Chinese Dynasties

221-206 BC Qin Dynasty206 BC-220 AD Han Dynasty220-280 AD Three Kingdoms265-420 AD Jin Dynasty420-589 AD Southern and Northern Dynasties581-618 AD Sui Dynasty618-907 AD Tang Dynasy907-1125 AD Liao Dynasty907-960 AD 5 Dynasties and 10 Kingdoms960-1279 AD Song Dynasty1271-1368 AD Yuan Dynasty1368-1644 AD Ming Dynasty1644-1911 AD Qing Dynasty

How Did Dynasties Rule?

• Mandate of Heaven:1. the right to rule is granted by Heaven2. There can only be one legitimate ruler of China3. The right to rule is based on the virtue and conduct of the ruler4. The right to rule may be passed down from father to son but only on the conditions established above

• Scholar-officials vs. eunuchs• Dynastic cycle – usually ends with the

combination of palace corruption and peasant/religious rebellion

Qing Reign Periods

1644-1661 Shunzhi1662-1722 Kangxi1723-1735 Yongzheng1736-1795 Qianlong1796-1820 Jiaqing1821-1850 Daoguang1851-1861 Xianfeng1862-1874 Tongzhi1875-1908 Guangxu1909-1911 Xuantong

Manchu Conquest

• Zhongguo (中國 ) – ‘Middle Kingdom’• Frontier folks – ‘barbarians’• Manchus – a confederation of tribal

peoples• Banners – 8 flags• Hong Taiji – ‘Qing’ = ‘pure’ or ‘clean’• Shunzhi took control in 1651

• Sinicization – Chinese culturation

Kangxi Emperor(b. 1654-1722)

(reign 1661-1722)

Education and Diplomacy

• Shengyuan (生員 ) – ‘government student’• Juren (舉人 ) – ‘provincial graduates’• Jinshi (進士 ) – ‘metropolitan graudates’

• Court of Colonial Affairs (理藩院 , Lifanyuan)

• Board of Rites- Tributary System- kowtow

Qianlong Emperor(b. 1711-1799)

(reign 1735-1796)

Qianlong’s Letter to George III (1793)

You, O King, from afar have yearned after the blessings of our civilization, and in your eagerness to come into touch with our converting influence have sent an Embassy across the sea bearing a [memorandum]. I have already taken note of your respectful spirit of submission, have treated your mission with extreme favor and loaded it with gifts, besides issuing a mandate to you, O King, and honoring you at the bestowal of valuable presents. Thus has my indulgence been manifested.

Qianlong’s Letter to George III (1793)

Yesterday your Ambassador petitioned my Ministers to memorialize me regarding your trade with China, but his proposal is not consistent with our dynastic usage and cannot be entertained. Hitherto, all European nations, including your own country's barbarian merchants, have carried on their trade with our Celestial Empire at Canton. Such has been the procedure for many years, although our Celestial Empire possesses all things in prolific abundance and lacks no product within its own borders. There was therefore no need to import the manufactures of outside barbarians in exchange for our own produce.

Qianlong’s Letter to George III (1793)

But as the tea, silk and porcelain which the Celestial Empire produces, are absolute necessities to European nations and to yourselves, we have permitted, as a signal mark of favor, that foreign [groups of merchants] should be established at Canton, so that your wants might be supplied and your country thus participate in our beneficence. But your Ambassador has now put forward new requests which completely fail to recognize the Throne's principle to "treat strangers from afar with indulgence," and to exercise a pacifying control over barbarian tribes, the world over. Moreover, our dynasty, swaying the myriad races of the globe, extends the same benevolence towards all.

Qianlong’s Letter to George III (1793)

Your England is not the only nation trading at Canton. If other nations, following your bad example, wrongfully importune my ear with further impossible requests, how will it be possible for me to treat them with easy indulgence? Nevertheless, I do not forget the lonely remoteness of your island, cut off from the world by intervening wastes of sea, nor do I overlook your excusable ignorance of the usages of our Celestial Empire. I have consequently commanded my Ministers to enlighten your Ambassador on the subject, and have ordered the departure of the mission. […]

Qianlong’s Letter to George III (1793)

If, after the receipt of this explicit decree, you lightly give ear to the representations of your subordinates and allow your barbarian merchants to proceed to [two Chinese port cities], with the object of landing and trading there, the ordinances of my Celestial Empire are strict in the extreme, and the local officials, both civil and military, are bound reverently to obey the law of the land. Should your vessels touch the shore, your merchants will assuredly never be permitted to land or to reside there, but will be subject to instant expulsion. In that event your barbarian merchants will have had a long journey for nothing. Do not say that you were not warned in due time! Tremblingly obey and show no negligence! A special mandate!

Qing Society

• 18th century: economic prosperity + population growth

• Social Organization:- hereditary nobles- officials- literati- commoners: peasant, artisan, or merchant

• Culture: Dream of the Red Chamber• Emerging Problems:

- Four Treasuries – Heshen- White Lotus Rebellion

Daoguang Emperor(b. 1782-1850)

(reign 1820-1850)

The Grand Canal